Arnab Goswami’s wife writes to SC alleging "selective outrage" by Dushyant Dave; Highlights urgent listing of Vinod Dua, Prashant Bhushan cases

Hours after Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave wrote to the Secretary General of the Supreme Court raising concerns over Arnab Goswami's petitions getting preferential listing before the top court, Goswami's wife, Samyabrata Ray Goswami has come to her husband's defence. .In a letter written to the Supreme Court Secretary General late Tuesday, Samyabrata has countered Dave expressing shock at what she termed as "selective targeting" of Goswami by Dave.."When I read Dave's letter, I am shocked and horrified at the extent to which certain vested interests are at work. Neither do I know Shri Dave nor have I ever met him. However, the selective targeting of my husband's petition by Shri Dave will have to be opposed by me given his silence on other matters which were taken up by this Hon'ble Supreme Court in its wisdom with urgency in the past," the letter states.."Is there a special direction from CJI?" Senior Adv Dushyant Dave questions SC Registry on urgent listing of Arnab Goswami's plea.Dave's letter, Samyabrata alleges, is "not only prejudicial to the cause of justice for Goswami but is contemptuous as it tends to interfere with administration of justice.".She has highlighted three past cases demanding why the Senior lawyer did not raise the issue of selective listing by the registry then. .[Breaking] Supreme Court to hear tomorrow plea by Arnab Goswami for interim bail.The three cases are:1. August, 2019: Case by Romila Thapar which was filed and listed on the same day. Dave represented Thapar in the top court. "This was a matter not filed by any aggrieved parties but by few “public spirited persons” seeking to “protect human rights and fundamental freedoms” of certain individuals who are allegedly involved in alleged Naxalite activities," reads the letter to SC Secretary General..2. June, 2020: Petition by journalist Vinod Dua challenging an FIR against him for his reportage. When a plea for urgent listing was filed and the top court had heard the matter on a Sunday. .3. April, 2020: Petition by advocate Prashant Bhushan who had approached Supreme Court after Gujarat police had filed an FIR against him. The case was filed on April 30th and heard on May 1. ."Innocent, custody not required": Seven Grounds raised by Arnab Goswami in his bail plea.Dave, by making insinuations against the highest judicial officers of the country, has attempted to tarnish the reputation of the Supreme Court, the letter states. ."As terrifyingly, by making repulsive insinuations regarding the wielding of influence over the highest judicial officers of this country, I believe Shri Dave has attempted to tarnish the reputation, the integrity, and the independence of the great institution of judiciary and has also attempted to cause prejudice to the free and fair course of justice,"read the letter..Dave had lodged a "strong protest" with the Secretary General pointing out that Goswami's petitions before the top court are listed urgently while other similarly placed litigants are kept waiting..Terming the subject of his letter as the "extraordinary urgent listing of the Special Leave Petition filed on behalf of Arnab Goswami," Dave had questioned whether there was a special direction from the Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde himself to list petitions by the journalist urgently..Goswami had approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning against a November 9 order of Bombay High Court denying him interim bail in the 2018 suicide abetment case of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother, Kumud Naik.Though the Supreme Court is closed for Diwali break, Goswami's petition got listed for hearing on Wednesday prompting Dave to write to the Secretary General. .Samyabrata has suggested that the letter by Dave was to "sully the character of her husband by selectively targeting him and prejudice his case which is up for hearing in the Supreme Court tomorrow.".Goswami's petition is slated to be heard on Wednesday at 10.30 am by a Division Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee. .Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.